All About Backbone.js

What is backbone.js?

Backbone.js is a JavaScript library which is based on the MVP application design system. It has a RESTful JSON UI. It is popular for its lightweight functions, because it is only dependent on a single JavaScript library, called Underscore.js. The framework is developed for creating single-page web applications. It’s purpose is to keep the different parts of the web applications synchronized. Jeremy Ashkenas of CoffeeScript is the creator of Backbone.

What does Backbone.js Do?

Using jQuery or other tools for developing complicated UI’s or single page web applications can be quite difficult and time consuming. Backbone.js brings structure to web apps by giving models to custom events. It gives views more declarative event handling, and collections a wide range of API of enumerable functions. It binds everything together and connects to current API over a RESTful JSON UI.

Advantages of Using Backbone.js

Some of the main advantages of using Backbone.js are listed as follows:

1. Event-based Communication

You can easily create small and efficient web apps with jQuery and other frameworks. However, the declarations and callbacks could become increasingly complicated and difficult to manage when the application grows. Backbone.js works by providing an event-based communication between all the elements, like models and views. Attach event listeners to a model, which will present you with more control over the future modifications in the view.

2. Back-end Syncing

Backbone.js models could be easily connected to a back-end. It provides support for RESTful APIs, so that models could map to a RESTful back-end. When the API is designed properly, the framework can access them for direct operations.

3. Maintenance through Conventions

Conventions help introduce a common coding style. There is no need to create any advanced coding standards. Backbone.js can be used to maintain a neat code, even when many developers are working on it. If users stick to the backbone conventions, they will have to do less coding. It can be easily expanded, as your web app’s functions or features grow over time.

Conclusion

At the philosophical level, Backbone.js helps achieve minimum data-structure and UI primitives. It provides you total freedom when it comes to designing web applications. Most of the other frameworks require that your website be modified to suit to them. Backbone is unique and has no such requirements. Anyone who seeks to design single-page web apps with more control, cleaner code and an easy-to-use interface, this JavaScript library is the ideal choice.

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